The Department of Justice & Equality can confirm that a new accommodation centre for applicants for international protection (also known as ‘asylum seekers’) will open at the former Marian Hostel in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, in early March. The premises has been offered to the Department via the recent public procurement competition for the Midlands region.
In line with the new standards for Direct provision being rolled out across the State, this Centre will provide ‘independent living’ facilities to residents.
We want to provide the local community with as much information as possible. A meeting has been arranged between Department officials and local representatives from the Tullamore municipal district in the coming days to discuss what supports will be in place to facilitate the new accommodation centre and its residents. In line with successful models around the country, a ‘Friends of the Centre’ group will be established.
The centre will be managed by Bridgestock Care, a service provider with many years’ experience providing services to asylum seekers in Ireland including the recently opened centre in Ennis.
In the coming weeks, a number of families will move to Tullamore. Applicants will move in on a phased basis and the total capacity is 168 people.
The new centre will provide residents with ‘independent living’ where they will have their own cooking facilities and an onsite food hall where they can get their groceries. This is in addition to the weekly cash allowance residents receive (€38.80 for adults and €29.80 for children), which they can spend wherever they choose. Applicants can also access a range of State services and supports including healthcare, education, childcare etc, on the same basis as everyone else.
Further information, including an FAQ section on Direct Provision accommodation centres, can be found at the following link https://www.accommodationcentres.ie/.
Note to Editors:
Direct provision refers to a range of State services, including the provision of accommodation, which is offered to persons who have applied for international protection and are awaiting a decision on their case.
Processing times for applicants for International Protection have reduced significantly in recent years. Under the single application procedure, which was introduced in the International Protection Act 2015, a person has all aspects of their claim (refugee status, subsidiary protection status and permission to remain) examined and determined in one process rather than sequentially as before. The aim of the single procedure is to help to reduce waiting times significantly and to ensure that we are identifying at the earliest stage possible those who need our protection and those who can safely return to their home country.